Electric switch



Nam 24 1925.

H. CATLIN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 14. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTDR BY H s T Can/N Am Nov. 24 1925 H. CATLIN ELECTRIC SWITCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14. 1921 H. CATLIN Nov. 24 1925 ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 14, 192] 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTUR HOS/7' Can //v H. CAT LIN Nov. 24 v 1925 ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 14, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iNVENTDR H0 s T 0H TL/N Patented Nov. 24:, i925,

EOYT CATLIN, OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed July 14, 1921.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, How CATLIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches, and particularly to circuit selector switch installations such as are used for example, to distribute the current in different paths through a heater unit of an electric range, toaster or other appliance of similar character. The object of my invention is to provide a device in which a master switch is associated with a selector switch, with which it is so interconnected that while the position of the selector switch may be changed at will when the master switch is in off position, and no current is flowing, on the contrary, the selector switch connections cannot be changed while the master switch it in on position, and current is flowing. The underlying conception of the invention is subject to embodiment in many different forms of construction, only some of which are indicated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a switch in which my invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the face plate removed;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof partially broken away;

Fig. 5 is a skeleton view of the insulating base illustrating the connections between the various switch contacts;

Fig 6 is a broken section on the line 6-6, Fig. 2;

Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of the distributing switch in different positions;

Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive are diagrams illustrating the circuit in the different positions of the selector switch;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are diagrammatic illustrations of various modifications of construction inwhich my. invention is embodied.

While a switch installation of the present type may be utilized for various purposes and suitably modified for diiierent utilities,

Serial No. @4339.

I have illustrated a construction adapted to control the different circuits through the resistance elements of a standard heater unit adapted to give high, low and medium heats. Such units are common in electric ranges and electric heating appliances of various sorts.

The installation normally includes a front or casing element, indicated by the plate 20, through which project the operating handle 21 for the master switch and the operating handle 22 for the selector switch. Adjacent the apertures 23 and 24 in the plate through which the switch handles pass, are suitable legends 25 and 26, so related to the handle, or other moving element of the switch mechanism, as to atford an indication of the position of the respective switching members thereto.

The particular shape and construction of the insulating base or bases upon which the switches are mounted is of secondary moment, so long as the interlocking elements of their mechanisms are positioned to function properly. As here shown, however, the base 27 is unitary and carries at one end a master switch generally designated by the reference A, and at its other end a selector switch, generally indicated by the reference B. At one end of the base, and adjacent the master switch are terminals 28 and 29 for connection to the wire mains. At the opposite end of the base are terminals 30, 31 and 32 for connection to the distributing wires. The wire terminals 28 and 29 are suitably connected by straps 33 and 34 (Fig. 5) to the switch contacts 35 and 36 respectively, of the master switch, which is of double pole type. The cooperating switch contacts 37 and 38 are respectively connected by straps 39 and 40 to the contacts 41 and 42 of the selector switch, which is also provided with auxiliary contacts 43 and 44-. Contacts 41, 43 and 44 of the selector switch are respectively connected to the wire terminals 30, 31 and 32 by straps 45, 46 and 47.

The master switch A is of standard construction and need not he further described than to specify that it is of the high capacity, quick maize and break type. Its toggle mechanism includes the oscillating rocker 48, for actuating the switch mechanism. Associated with the rocker is a reciprocuit-closing position.

cating locking bar 49, which is apertured at to accommodate the rocker and is provided with a cross web 51 slidably engaged in the notch 52 of the rocker. The interlocking bar 49 is supported upon posts 53 and 54, upon which it is guided by the screw pins 55 and 56 working in slots 57 and 58 in opposite ends of the bar. At one end the bar is provided with a stud 59.

The selector switch B, which may also be of any suitable construction, is shown as comprising an insulating disk 60, the peripheral lug on which forms the operating handle 22. The disk is mounted on a pivot pin 61 extending between the standard 53 and the standard 62, and rocks thereonin a plane at right angles to the plane-in which the interlocking bar 49 reciprocates. It carries a diametral switch bar 63, adapted to bridge the distributing contacts 41 and 44. It also carries a segmental bar 64 adapted to bridge either the contacts 42 and 43, or the contacts 42 and 44, depending upon the position of the switch. In the position in which the bar 63 bridges the contacts 41 and 44, the bar 64 simultaneously bridges the contacts 42 and 48. In the position in which the handle 22 is rocked to the right and the diametral bar 63 is out of engagement with its cooperating contacts, the segmental bar 64 spans the contacts 42 and 43 (Fig. 7). When the disc is rocked in the opposite direction (Fig. 8) only the contacts 42 and 44 are connected by the segmental bar 64. 'In order to accurately locate the selector switch in its several positions, I provide a disc with a lug 65, which in the position of the switch shown in Fig. 6, is engaged and detained-- by the spring 66 mounted at the bottom of a channel 67 in the base. A second lug 68 projecting from the disc impinges against the.base 27 (Fig. 7) to halt the oscillation of the disc in the position in which the segmental bar 64 bridges the contacts 42 and 43. The lug impinging against the end wall of the recess 67 serves to halt the disc 60 in the position in which the contacts 42 and 44 are connected (Fig. 8).

The three different positions of the disc 60 in its three selector circuit connections, are thus accurately predetermined for the purpose of insuring a locking engagement therewith by the stud 59 of the interlocking bar 49 when the master switch is thrown to cir- To receive this stud the face of the disc 60, adjacent the master switch, is recessed or apertured at 69, 70-

and 71. These apertures are so located that when the selector switch is in each of its three positions, one or the other of the recesses 69 to 71 lies in register with the Stud 59. Consequently, when the rocker 48 of the master switch is thrown to on position, the interlocking bar 49 is advanced sufficiently to enter the stud 59 into one or the other of 'the recesses in the selector switch disc 60. Obviously so long as the master switch remains in circuit-closing position, the interlocking bar prevents operation of the selector switch. It is furthermore clear that when the master switch is thrown to off position, the distributing switch may be rocked freely to any position which the attendant may desire it to occupy when the current is again thrown on by the closing of the master switch.

In view of the fact that the position of the selector switch cannot be altered while the master switch is in circuit-closing position, it is unnecessary-that the distributing switch be of the quick make and break typo,

since it is always in circuit-closing position when the circuit is established therethrough. Furthermore, inasmuch as the duty of the master switch is merely to control the flow of current, it is relieved of the structural complications incident to the combination of a master switch and selector switch in a single unitary structure. The mechanism and arrangement of parts may thus be made far simpler than is customary in heater switches, and it may be of any standard type having a breaking capacity sufficient to safely handle the current of the heater circuit.

As has been stated, the master switch may be of any suitable standard type. It is also true that the distributing switch may be variously modified. Thus, in Fig. 13

the master switch 72 is diagrammatically indicated as of the standard rotary snap switch type, the details of which are not illustrated, since they are well known. The selector switch 7 3 is also of the rotary type and comprises an insulating disc which carries switch bars 74, 75 and 76 adapted to cooperate with suitably arranged contacts 77, 78, 79 and 80, to which in the different positions of the disc 73 the current is distributed in the same manner as is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive in connection with the previous construction. The spindles 81 and 82 of the two switches are of course arranged in fixed position in predetermined relation to each other. The interlocking connection between the switches is afforded by a rocking lever 83, one end of which bears against the cam 84' on the spindle of the master switch, while the other end is provided with a stud or dog 85 adapted to enter one or the other of the notches 86, 87 and 88 of the disc 89 mounted on the spindle of the selector switch and moving with the latter and with its handle 90. Obviously, when the master switch 72 is turned to on position, the cam 84 shifts the tilting lever 83 to force its dog 85 into one or the other of the notches 86 to 89,thus holding the distributing-switch in fixed position. When the master switch is again turned to off position, the dog 85 is withdrawn from the notch by the outward movement of the lever under the influence of the spring S.

Fig. 13 indicates the position of the selector switch, with the contacts which establish a. high heat circuit connected by the bars 74 and 7 5. In Fig. 14 the position of the selector switch has been. shifted to establish connection between the contacts which afford a medium heat circuit connection. As will be noted, the operating handle 90 of the selector switch serves also as an indicator associated with the legends 91 suitably arranged upon the casing or cover plate above which the handle 90 lies.

It is obvious that a rotary selector switch of this type may be quite as readily associ ated with a master swltch of the type shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, if the notches in the looking disc 89 be so located that the lock bar 49 of the master switch engages them when the latter is thrown to circuit-closing position.

In Fig. 15, another modification of the selector switch is shown, while the master switch is of the doublepush-button type. The interlocking bar 92 is of substantially the same character as that first described, having an operating connection at 93 with a lug on the rocker 94 of the master switch. The selector switch is of the push and pull type and maycomprise a block 95 of insulating material, carryin' one or more contact plates 96 which esta lish connection with the several distributing contacts 97 in different positions. Notches 98 in the side of the plug facing the master switch are engaged by the interlocking bar 92 when the master switch is in circuit-closing position, thus holding the selector switch against change of position until the master switch is again thrown to circuit-opening position.

It is clear from the foregoing that there are various possible embodiments of the underlying basic conception of the invention. My underlying thought may be briefly stated to reside in the combination of a master switch and a selector switch, with means operated by the master switch to prevent operation of the selector switch when the master switch is in circuit-closing.

position. Specifically, it resides in the combination ofa quick make and break master switch with a slow make and break selector switch, so related that the selector switch cannot be operated until the master switch is opened. The invention is not therefore confined to the particular constructions shown, but is susceptible of many variations.

selector switch vfor establishing connection between certain of said contacts, permanent connection between certain of said contacts and the distributing contacts of the master switch, together with means operated by mechanism of the master switch for locking the selector switch against movement when the master switch is in circuit-closing position.

2. A switch device comprising an insulating base, a'master switch and a selector switch mounted thereon, permanent conncctions between certain of the master switch and certain of the selector switch contacts, binding terminals connected to other of the master switch contacts and cer tain of the selector switch contacts, a double break snap switch mechanism for closing and opening the circuit through the master J switch, a selector switch circuit closer, and means operated by the mechanism of the master switch for locking the circuit closer of the selector switch against actuation when the master switch is in circuit-closing position..

3. A switch device comprising a master switch and an associated distributing switch, a manually operated rocking memher for actuating the master switch, a manually controlled oscillatin tuating the selector switc the axis of'oscillation of said manually controlled member of the oscillating switch lying substantially in the plane of oscillation of the actuating member of the master switch, together with a reciprocating locking member moving with the manually operated member of the master switch and engaging the manually operated member of the selector switch to hold the latter against operation when the master switch is in circuit- -closing position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HOYT CATLIN.

member for ac 

